Teaching Tuesday

Mental Toughness

by Megan Kingsley

and Georgia Swimming

I remember when I was 11, I was looking for a challenge in
practice and I really wanted to be moved up to the next group with
all the kids that were older than me. I was really successful in
the group I was in, but I knew I could push myself more and do
harder practices. And after some time, I got what I was asking for.
However, it was a lot more than I thought I asked for.

At this point, I’m sure my old club coach is chuckling
because he remembers these practices and he knew I could handle
them even though I was the youngest in the group by two years. But
they were extremely challenging and I struggled mentally. A part of
me loved being the youngest one doing these practices, but being
mentally weak caused me to not enjoy it as much and my parents
could see it too. I wish when I was younger I learned how to start
being more mentally tough.

What is mental toughness?

Mental toughness dictates whether we follow through we
something, pushing past our normal comfort levels, entering extreme
discomfort, something we usually avoid. This can decide if we do
the main set the way we are supposed to do or not, for example. You
have to learn how to flip the switch.

Being mentally tough starts with the decision to push yourself
no matter what. To get your hand on the wall as fast as possible
for every finish. To hold that hard breathing pattern. To do an
extra kick off every wall. When the set gets really hard and you
feel like giving up... be that person that pushes through and be
tougher. The little things are the ones that end up making a big
difference. While it may not sound hard to do an extra kick, or do
not breathe on your first stroke, it can be a lot more challenging
when you think.

Believe in yourself and push yourself further than you ever have
before, because the accomplishments you can achieve are limitless,
and it all starts with being mentally tough.

Click here for an
article about mental toughness shared by USA Swimming.